Fastener for envelops and other containers.



W. WAIDLIOH.

FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS AND OTHER CONTAINERS,

APPLICATION FILED MAR.26,1913.

' 1,089,297, Patented M21113, 1914.

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W. WAIDLIGH.

FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS AND OTHER CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.26, 1913.

1,089,297. Patented Mar.3,1914.

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WALTER WAIDLICH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS AND OTHER CONTAINERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed March 26, 1913. Serial No. 757,038.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WVALTER lVAmLIoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Envelops and other Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fasteners for envelops and other containers, the object of the invention being to provide a construction of envelop or like container and fastener whereby the envelop may be held securely closed and proof against opening without detection, whereby a safety envelop is produced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of envelop and fastener by means of which, if desired, the use of glue or mucilage upon the sealing portions of the envelop may be obviated.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear view of an envelop having my improved fastener applied thereto and showing the envelop open. Fig. 2 is a front view of an envelop closed by means of my fastener and having a part thereof broken away to show the fastener. Fig. 3 is a Vertical transverse section through the envelop on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a view of the envelop with the parts thereof in outspread condition. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partially in section, showing the construction of the fastener. Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 6 is a view showing a slight modification in which a keeper or retainer is employed in conjunction with the fastener.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown the application of my invention to an envelop comprising a body or front 1 having side flaps 2 and 3, a bottom flap 4 and a top or sealing flap 5, the flaps 2, 3 and 4 being provided with slits 6, 7 and 8 respectively adapted to register when said flaps are folded over upon one another, for the passage of a sealing tab 9 on the flap 5.

In folding the blank shown in Fig. 4: to form the closed envelop, the flap 2 is first folded over upon the body 1, the flap 2 then folded over upon the flap 3, the flap 4 then folded over upon the flap 3, and the tab or tongue 9 then inserted inwardly and downwardly through the registering slits in said flaps to hold the envelop closed.

While I have specifically shown the inven' tion in connection with an envelop. it is to be understood that it may be employed in connection with any analogous type of contamer, and that in the use of my improved fastener the necessity of gunnning the sealing surfaces of the envelop is obviated although they may be gunnned in the tonal manner, if desired.

The tab or tongue 9 may be integral with or suitably secured to the flap and formed to provide a triangular shaped end head 10, which head is of less width than the body of the tab to provide shoulders 11. The outer face of the tab is provided with a transverse groove 12, over which lies a covering strip of fabric or other suitable material 13, which also extends in the form of a pocket or fold 141 at the outer extremity of the head 10.

Carried by the head 10 is a triangular shaped fastener 15, preferably formed of spring wire. At its vertex 16 the fastener is inclosed in the pocket or fold let, and its arms 17 extend toward the tab at a greater divergent angle than the sides of the head 10 so as to normally project beyond the same, and also laterally beyond the line of the shoulders 11. At their inner ends said arms 17 are provided with inwardly extending extensions 18, which project into and are freely movable toward and from each other in the groove 12, and are confined from displacement by the strip 13. At their points of juncture with the arms, the extensions form shoulders 19 projecting laterally beyond the shoulders 11 of the tab, for a purpose hereinafter described.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the construction of the head 10 allows the free end of the tab to be freely and easily inserted through the slits 6, 7 and S, and that the spring arms 17 of the fastener are adapted as the tab is inserted through the slits to recede inwardly beyond the line of the shoulders 11, in which opera tion the extensions 18 slide inwardly in the groove 12, and that when the shoulders 19 of the fastener pass inwardly beyond the line of the slits the spring arms will move outwardly so that the shoulders 11 will prevent withdrawal of the tab. As a conse quence, the envelop will be held securely sealed against any possibility of the surreptitious opening thereof without giving visual evidence of the fact that the envelop has been tampered with. The invention may thus be employed upon an envelop designed strictly for safety purposes or upon an ordinary type of envelop, in which latter event an equal degree of safety in the transmission of matter through the mails will be insured. I

In order to reduce to a material extent liability of withdrawal of the tab, and to re inforce the envelop where thin paper is employed or it is desired to secure maximum safety, I may provide the flap 6 of the envelop with a retaining or keeper strip 20, glued or otherwise secured thereto on oppo site sides of the transverse center of said strip. The intermediate portion 21 of this strip is creased or folded to produce a guide channel crossing the slit 6. In the use of this retainer, the tab and fastener may be inserted so that the shoulders of the fastener will engage the lower edge of the central portion of the retainer, or so that the shoulders of the fastener engage the upper edge wall of the slit, in which latter event the retainer will simply shield the fastener in such a manner as to prevent the envelop from being folded or buckled to manipulate the fastener for extraction of the tab. The retainer may beimade of paper, cloth or any other suitable material.

I claim A container having a plurality of walls provided with slits adapted to register, a sealing flap having a tongue provided with an arrow-shaped head, said head being of less width than the body of the tongue, a strip secured to said head and having a portion arranged to form a fold at the vertex of the head, and an arrow-shaped fastener formed of spring wire confined at its vertex in said fold and having its arms arranged at a greater diverging angle than the sides of the head and projecting laterally beyond the head and body of the tongue, said arms being provided with extensions, movable between the head and strip and forming with said extensions shoulders for an interlocking action.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL A. DAOEY, FRANCIS GREENWALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

